Personal Summary
I’m on medical sabbatical during 2023 to have two neurosurgeries (those are now done) and two back surgeries (those are still to come).
Prior to 2023, I focused on improving inclusion and access in the worlds of disability and sexuality. I am an engaging writer and a charismatic speaker and educator, with over fifteen years of experience covering disability, sexuality, and kyriarchy from a social justice-oriented perspective.
Relevant Experience
Disability and Sexuality Freelance Educator and Consultant
(2016 – 2022)
Social Justice-Related Teaching Experience
I have engaged with teaching through a social justice lens since 2001. I currently offer 29 workshops and trainings, most with a focus on disability and sexual education topics, as well as guest lectures and professional development given to diverse audiences, including medical professionals, disabled people, sex educators, sex workers, entrepreneurs, and college students, both undergraduate and graduate. As learning is an ongoing process, I am forever evolving disability-focused sex education curricula for disabled people, caregivers, medical providers, and sex educators. I also provide coaching and peer support regarding disabled sexuality to individuals as requested.
Accessibility Audits and Education
I assist with improving inclusion and access by providing accessibility audits of websites, venues, and events, and more. I teach interested people how to make their spaces and content more accessible. I always provide transcription, captions, alt text, and image descriptions.
Navigation and Advocacy Services
For over a decade I have volunteered as a patient navigator and advocate for systems such as health care, Vocational Rehabilitation, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Health and Human Services, and Social Security. I provide navigation services for multiple people of diverse backgrounds through various aspects of many social services, medical coverage issues, the purchase of private insurance, and other forms of aid.
Writing and Publication Experience
Since the 1990s, I have coordinated and edited blog posts and mailing list updates. I have been interviewed for and authored articles, essays, and resource guides for various publications, both print and web. My writing has been published in several anthologies.
Management, Accounting, & Communications
From August of 2016 through November of 2021, I was the co-founder and administrator of the Disability and Sexuality Access Network. The name of the group changed to Pleasurable in November of 2021 and the group ceased activity in October of 2022. While the group was active, I coordinated the activities and communication of the group, including scheduling and administering organizational and training meetings; management of volunteers and part-time contractors; coordination of consulting gigs with team members and hiring groups; and organizing and promoting self-hosted events. I also sought and applied for grants; created and adhered to the group’s yearly budgets; communicated with the group’s fiscal sponsor; and tracked and submitted documentation for income and expenditures. Additionally, I coordinated outreach and communication via email and social media; and built connections with individuals and organizations via social media, virtual, and in-person events.
Awards & Honors
The Awesome Foundation: Disability.
December 2021; $1,000.
Project funded: Pleasurable:
Disability-focused Sex Ed.
She Vibe: Sex Ed Superhero.
March 2021; superhero trading card, series two.
Work honored: Breaking down the barriers of ableism in sexual wellness.
Crip Camp Adobe Fellowship in honor of Ki’tay D. Davidson.
December 2020; $5,000.
Project funded: Access Justice Framework.
The Effing Foundation for Sex Positivity.
March 2019; $5,000.
Project funded: The Disability and Sexuality Access Network.
Select Projects and Resource Guides
● 30-plus People to Know in the Field of Disability and Sexuality. September 2018.
● Access Justice Framework (AJF), inspired by the principles of disability justice, AJF promotes access for all through a series of accessibility guides. March 2021.
● Accessibility for Social Media Censorship Avoidance. November 2022.
● Don’t Just Prepare for Yourself; Get Involved to Help Others: A Post-2016 Election Action Guide. November 2016.
● Making Sexual Wellness More Inclusive. September 2022.
● Mini Introduction to Disability for Sex Shops and Companies. September 2020.
● Pandemic, Chronic Illness, and Us. March 2020.
● Playing it Safe(r): A Digital Harm Reduction Guide: increasing security and privacy online for individuals, groups, and businesses. September 2021.
● Pleasurable ↗, an education and advocacy organization for people who are passionate about disability, sex, and sexuality. Defunct as of October 2022.
● Self-Employed on a Shoestring Budget: Pandemic Edition. March 2020.
● Sexual Intimacy with Chronic Pelvic or Genital Pain. September 2021.
● Tips for Total Hysterectomy Recovery. March 2023.
● Tools for Sex Geeks Who Aren’t Tech Nerds. May 2020.
Previously Available Workshops & Training
- Accessibility for Social Media Censorship Avoidance
- Accessing Disabled Pleasure
- Applying the Principles of Disability Justice and Health Justice to Your Practice: Accessibility, Disability, Sex, and Person-First Approaches for Healthcare Providers and Educators
- DIY Entrepreneurial Ethics: How to Keep Your Punk Morale Up as a Self-Employed Person Who Refuses to Sell Out
- Detoured: A How-To Guide to Life for Newly Acquired Disability and Chronic Illness
- Disability-Focused Sex Education for Pre-med, Healthcare Providers, and Educators
- Disability and Consent: You (Shouldn’t) Have (to Fight for) the Right to Autonomy
- Disability and Sex for Healthcare Providers
- Dress Sexy at My Funeral: Death Preparedness for Everything from Non-monogamy to Sex Work
- Fuck the Pain Away: Kink as Chronic Pain Management
- Hello to You out There in Normal Land: An Introduction to Disability Culture
- It’s Getting Hot in Here: Climate Change and Your Sex Life
- Kiss and Tell: Non-monogamy with Immuno-Compromised Partners
- Kiss Off: Exploring the Intersections of Sex and Disability
- Loose Lipped: Adapting Sexual Pleasure for Pelvic Pain (for All Genders!)
- My Neck, My Back, My Pussy and My Crack: Sex with Ehlers-Danlos
- Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Event Management
- Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Greater Inclusion
- Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Social Media
- Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Virtual Educators
- Making Sexual Wellness More Inclusive
- Many Lovers Cannot Quench Love: Embracing Disability and Non-monogamous Relationships as a Radical Act of Interdependence
- Money Changes Everything: Non-monogamy and Capitalism
- Playing It Safe(r): Digital Harm Reduction
- Playing with Disability: Adapting Play for People with Disabilities and Our Partners
- Radical Possibilities of Pleasure-Pain: Sadomasochism in Context, or Why It’s So Damned Complicated When Pain Feels Good
- Self-Employed on a Shoestring Budget
- Sexual Justice as a Form of Disability Justice
- Tools of the Trade: Digital Tools to Manage Your Life and Your Work
- What Is Cripsex: Teaching Sex Educators about Sex and Disability
Select Consultations
● Accessibility consultation for an artistic archive of materials from sex workers. January of 2023.
● Educational consultation regarding gender identity and expression for K-3 students. November of 2022.
● Professional development training for sexual health providers regarding disability. August of 2022.
● In-person venue accessibility audit. June of 2022.
● Improving accessibility at kink events. January of 2022.
● Preparing for an in-person, multi-day event during COVID-19. January of 2022.
● Accessibility audit for a web-based game about sex work. November through December of 2021.
● Introduction to disability for sex store employees. September of 2020.
● Setting up a non-profit. May through October of 2020.
● Improving your accessibility and accessibility statement. June of 2020.
● Service dogs, therapy dogs, emotional support animals: ADA protections and small business. May of 2019.
● Social media tools that suit you best. August of 2018.
Panels
● The Time for Inclusivity in Sexual Wellness Is Now ↗. Sex Expo. October 1, 2022.
Moderator: Lidia Bonilla. Co-panelists: Steph Zapata, Tatyannah King, Ryan DiMartino.
● Coping with Social Media’s Anti-Sexual Wellness Policies ↗. Sex Expo. October 1, 2022. Moderator: Cheyenne Davis. Co-panelists: Zoe Ligon, Lou Featherstone, Adonis BC Okonkwo, Maddox, Ashleigh Tribble.
● The Future of Sex, Toys, Tips and Tricks for a New Era of Pleasure. Sex Expo. October 1, 2022. Moderator: Nan Wise. Co-panelists: Zoe Ligon, Anna Lee, Kristen Tribby.
● The Arc SF Speaker Series: Disability and Sexuality. The Arc of San Francisco. February 10, 2022.
● Diversability Unplugged: Disability and Sexuality ↗. Diversability. November 16, 2021.
Moderator: Whitney Bailey. Co-panelists: Robin Wilson-Beatie, Spencer West, Emerson Wheeler.
● Disability and Sex for Providers. Widener University. March of 2017.
● Educating Future Doctors About the Realities of Disability. Georgetown University School of Medicine. November of 2016.
● Sex and Disability for Medical Students. George Washington University. August of 2015.
● Rare Disease Patient Focus Group. National Institutes of Health. January of 2013.
● Women and Self-Inflicted Violence Workshop. Visions in Feminism Conference, 2002. Co-panel with Erica Smith and Sara Plourde.
Presentations
● Accessibility for Social Media Censorship Avoidance. Sex Geek Pro’s Social Media Deep Dive For Sex Geeks ↗. November 14, 2022.
● In a Time of Great Shame: Kate Bush’s Zeitgeist Moment. Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association. November 11, 2022.
● Sexual Justice as a Form of Disability Justice. University of Maryland, College Park. November 8, 2022.
● Teaching Medical Students About Sex and Disability. American Medical Student Association. October 12, 2022.
● Teaching Medical Students About Sex and Disability. American Medical Student Association. April 12, 2022.
● Loose Lipped: Adapting Sexual Pleasure for Pelvic Pain. ClitFest. March 27, 2022.
● Teaching Peer Teen Sex Educators About Sex and Disability. Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey. March 21, 2022.
● Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Educators. Sex Down South. September 11, 2021.
● Playing It Safer: Technological Security for A Post-FOSTA World. Sex Down South. September 10, 2021.
● Fuck The Pain Away: Kink as Chronic Pain Management. Sex Down South. September 9, 2021.
● Fuck The Pain Away: Kink as Chronic Pain Management. May 11, 2021.
● Intersectionality of Sex & Disability. University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. March 29, 2021.
● Making Your Virtual Teaching More Accessible, pt. 4: Bonus Class on Accessibility. Sex Geek Conservatory. December 28, 2020.
● Making Your Virtual Teaching More Accessible, pt. 3: Hot Seats & Coaching. Sex Geek Conservatory. December 17, 2020.
● Making Your Virtual Teaching More Accessible, pt. 2: Technical Application. Sex Geek Conservatory. December 10, 2020.
● Making Your Virtual Teaching More Accessible, pt.1: Accessible Communication and What It Solves. Sex Geek Conservatory. December 3, 2020.
● Making Your Online Presentations Accessible. Everyone Deserves Sex Ed ↗‘s Sex Educator Master Class Series ↗. November 25, 2020.
● Dress Sexy at My Funeral: Final Arrangement Preparedness for Sex-Positive People. Shadows and Light Festival ↗. September of 2020.
● Playing with Disability – Modifying Play for Folks with Disabilities and Chronic Pain. Shadows and Light Festival ↗. September of 2020.
● Accessing Disabled Pleasure. The CSPH. September of 2020.
● Playing It Safer: Better Practices for Technological Security. September of 2020.
● Making Presentations More Accessible. September of 2020.
● Accessing Disabled Pleasure. Erotic Intimacy Festival ↗. July of 2020.
● Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Greater Inclusion. Virtual Facilitators Toolbox ↗. June of 2020.
● Tools for Sex Geeks Who Are Not Tech Nerds. Zoom for private group. May of 2020.
● The State of Disability & Pleasure. The Disability and Sexuality Access Network. May 6, 2020.
● Making Way for Disabled Sex Educators. Tufts University’s Sex & Accessibility Symposium ↗. February 20, 2020.
● Playing with Disability: Adapting Play for People with Disabilities and Our Partners. Shiver. February of 2020.
● Making It More Accessible: A Guide for Presenters ↗. Ducky Doolittle’s Skill Share Series. October of 2019.
● Playing with Disability – Adapting Play for People with Disabilities and Our Partners. Stony Brook University TNG. May of 2019.
● Disability and Kink; Crip Time and Spoon Theory; Navigating Multiple Services While Multiply Disabled. Widener University. March of 2017.
● Chronic Pain, Disability, Sex, and Kink. Widener University. March of 2016.
● Sex and Sexuality-Based Violence: A Conversation. Visions in Feminism Conference, 2002.
Storytelling
● Another Significant Night in My Life When I Was Fisted. Sticky Stories: Getting Lucky! March 19, 2021.
● No regrets. Bawdy Storytelling ↗: Jackpot. July 18, 2020.
● Caz Killjoy’s A Pain in The Ass. Sticky Stories: A Very Sticky Send-off: A Benefit for The CSPH ↗. June 26, 2020.
Publications
● “Cripping The Archives.” Chapter in Preserving Disability: Disability and the Archival Profession. Litwin Books. September 2023.
● “Inside Disability Poverty-by-Design ↗.” Disability Almanac. May 1, 2023.
● “Disabled and Un-degreed – and Unpublished ↗.” Disability Almanac. July 27, 2022.
● “The Opposite of Mindblowing ↗.” The HEAL Project’s Sexual Liberation Campaign Contest. January 31, 2022.
● “Penalty Kicked: How Marriage Doesn’t Add Up for Everyone.” Bitch. Winter 2016, Issue #69 (print only).
● Interview in When Language Runs Dry ↗ anthology. Mend My Dress Press ↗, 2020.
● Art and essay in Tamara Santibañez ↗‘s anthology, SEXINESS: Rituals, Revisions, and Reconstructions ↗. Discipline Press ↗, 2018.
Citations and Interviews
Print and Web
● 12 sex tips for disabled people and their partners ↗ by Cathy Reay. Mashable. January 24, 2023.
● Sex Expo Returns to NYC With Action-Packed Weekend ↗ by Ariana Rodriguez. XBIZ. October 7, 2022.
● Sex Expo NY Show Schedule Announced ↗ by Rick Thomas. XBIZ. September 20, 2022.
● Furniture Can Make Sex More Accessible–And Fun ↗ by Cierra Loflin. Giddy. April 22, 2022.
● What Kim Kardashian Got Wrong About Work, According to Mental Health Advocates ↗ by Meg Embry. BestColleges.com. March 25, 2022.
● Event Recap: Disability and Sexuality ↗ by Katherine Lewis. Diversability. November 23, 2021.
● AHRC New York City Recognizes Transgender Awareness Week ↗ by Dylan Watton. AHRC NYC. November 18, 2021.
● Sex Ed Lessons from COVID-19 ↗ by Lori A. Rolleri Insignares, Tanya M. Bass, and Bill Taverner. American Journal of Sexuality Education. October 22, 2021.
● Why Bondage Frees People From Chronic Pain ↗ by Monica Karpinski. Giddy. March 10, 2021.
● How Practicing Kink Helps Keep People with Disabilities Connected to Their Desires ↗ by Emmett Patterson. The Body. November 23, 2020.
● Spotlight on: Sex + Disability ↗ by The CSPH. The CSPH. September 8, 2020.
● My Body Isn’t Made for Sex Anymore: Sex & disability, an exercise in frustration ↗ by Allison Wallis. Gay Magazine. August 13, 2019.
● How friends, family, and food stamps help this woman with disabilities survive. ↗ by Alaina Leary. Upworthy. October 15, 2018.
● When Your Mental Health Ruins Your Relationship ↗ by Mark Brown. Shortlist. September 13, 2018.
● For Disabled Sex Workers, Congress’ Anti-Trafficking Legislation Is Life-Threatening ↗ by Cyrée Jarelle Johnson. Rewire.News. July 12, 2018.
● Marriage Institutions Aren’t Just Sexist — They’re Ableist And Disrespectful To People With Disabilities ↗ by Wendy Lu. Everyday Feminism. April 16, 2018.
● We Cannot Ignore the Connection Between Disability and Intimate Partner Abuse ↗ by s.e. smith. Rooted in Rights. February 20, 2018.
● SEX FILES: Make a date with these 2018 resolutions ↗ by Simone Paget. Toronto Sun. December 29, 2017.
● How Health Care Costs Keep Me From Getting Married ↗ by Laura Kiesel. GOOD. June 29, 2017.
● The GOP plan to roll back Medicaid might force more couples to get divorced ↗ by Jordan Rosenfeld. The Washington Post. March 16, 2017.
● Romping 50 Shades of Grey-Style? Rope in your Doctor ↗ by Simone Paget. Toronto Sun. February 21, 2017.
● Disabled Sexuality: We’re Here, We’re Queer —And We’re Sexy! ↗ By Neve Be. Curve. May 15, 2016.
● When you’re a woman raped by a woman ↗ by Caroline Catlin. Broadly. April 18, 2016.
● Different Desires ↗. by Neve Be. Curve. March/April 2016 issue.
Podcast
● Pain and pleasure cum together ↗. Good Girls Talk About Sex. September 16, 2021.
● Hardcore tenderness: reinterpreting what we think about kink & BDSM ↗. The Philosophy of Sex. September 1, 2021.
● Looks Can Be Deceiving: Equity in Sexuality and Disability ↗. Psych and the City. November 16, 2020.
● Episode 137: No Regrets ↗. Bawdy Storytelling. August 2020.
Radio
● Patients are still being subjected to non-consensual pelvic exams. Now Missouri may ban them ↗ by Steve Kraske, Claudia Brancart. Up To Date. April 11, 2023.
● CUNY Audio Files. November 16, 2022.
● Food Criticism In D.C. Has A Diversity Problem ↗. The Kojo Nnamdi Show. November 27, 2019.
● Show #251 ↗. INSIGHT on disABILITY ↗. February 14, 2016.
● A Closer Look at Mental Health Services ↗. The Kojo Nnamdi Show. November 21, 2013.
Video
● “Sex and disability.” Community-Based Research Centre. September 12, 2022.
● “Facebook Live with Peter Peterson.” September 23, 2020.
● How I found myself || sexuality and disability, coming out as disabled, & access creation with Caz ↗. #DisabilityTalk with Bethany Stevens, episode #4. September 10, 2020.
● Making events more accessible, part 2 ↗. Facebook Live in private group. June 23, 2020.
● “Making your Accessibility Statement web page more accessible.” With Cathy of the Intimacy Dojo. June 7, 2020.
● Making events more accessible: part 1 ↗. Facebook Live in private group. May 21, 2020.
● Self-employed on a shoestring budget. Facebook Live with Reid Mihalko. March 24, 2020.
● Social Distancing and Taking Your Events Virtual During COVID-19 ↗. Facebook Live with Reid Mihalko. March 16, 2020.
● Interview for the documentary At Your Cervix ↗. January 23, 2017.
Skills
● Accessibility – in person and virtual
● Advocacy
● Common Language / Clear Language
● Navigation of bureaucracy
● Public speaking
● Research
● Storytelling
● Writing
Associations
● Disabled Writers ↗
● Diversability Leadership Collective ↗
● National Writers Union ↗
● Savvy Cooperative ↗
● Society for Disability Studies ↗
Testimonials
Testimonials are available here.